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# REVIEW: Grindr: The Opera – An Unauthorised Parody
- URL: https://www.scenemag.co.uk/review-grindr-the-opera-an-unauthorised-parody/
- Published: 2023-06-20T11:32:25.000Z
- Updated: 2023-06-20T11:32:25.000Z
- Description: Brian Butler gets ‘hooked’ on this epic piece of erotica
- Author: Brian Butler
- Tags: Arts, Musical Theatre, Reviews, Theatre, David Shields, Dereck Walker, Union Theatre

Let me say this up front: producer **Peter Bull** and the creative team behind ***Grindr: The Opera*** have a lifelong 5-star hit on their hands – of that I am 100% certain.

This is a musical about the oldest game but as arch villain Grindr (**Christian Lunn**) tells us: ”the rules are new”. Sitting in the compact **Union Theatre** in Southwark we’re faced with a steep central ramp, surrounded by Gothic pillars and back-projected stained glass windows as an ominous bell tolls. Designer **David Shields**, as always, makes much of very simple effects.

This is the domain of Grindr himself – Lunn towers over the scenes he manipulates – bare chested with tight leather corset, skirt, high heeled boots and a black feather collar: he’s scary and erotically attractive at the same time.

The storyline brings together four punters of the hook-up app, who are coaxed and supported by Grindr’s two deliciously attractive acolytes, played by **James Aymon** and **Grant Jackson**, sporting see-through tops and sparkly hot pants. What creator **Erik Ransom** and director/choreographer **William Spencer** give us is a wonderfully created epic, erotic, funny, sad, over-the-top show about sexual desires, denial, lies, love and abuse.

**Christian Lunn**, fresh from a European tour as Riff Raff in *Rocky Horror*, holds our attention from start to finish, with his malevolent smile but more importantly he has a stunning high-flying operatic singing voice – he’s truly sensational. He exudes sex, anger, greed and sheer evil – it’s delicious.

The four punters have well-delineated characters: **Dereck Walker** is Don, a Thatcherite businessman who has a wife and kids but dabbles in the queer sex kingdom. He is in denial, at times sadistic and thoroughly unlikeable. **Santino Zapico** is Devon, a sex-clinic doctor who finds true love via Grindr – well for a time anyway. **Billy J Vale** is a cute, endearing man who finds love, but can’t avoid the lure of returning to the app for a bit of variety. **James Lowrie** is an easy-going exhibitionist who comes seriously unstuck.

Like the best Greek drama or European opera, there are startling coincidences that lead to unforeseeen circumstances – no better depicted than in the highly operatic aria *What Fresh Hell* – where the punters’ lives all intertwine and unravel.

In a show where even ‘push alerts’ has a sexual connotation, the highly eclectic mix of musical styles works brilliantly. MD and orchestrator **Aaron Clingham** leads a small band of piano, flute, clarinet alto sax, cello and percussion. It’s a stunning combination that would be worthy of any West End orchestra pit.

Though the lyrics and action leave nothing to the imagination, it’s actually a very moral tale. Catch it if you can – it runs until **8 July**, but I’m certain it will run and run somewhere in the world for many years to come.

**Tickets [HERE](http://uniontheatre.biz/?ref=scenemag.co.uk)**